Forum › Food & Appetite

Lifelong weight management medication use versus stopping after goals

108 replies65 peopleSep 1, 2026☆ Follow
Summary

whether these medications must be taken indefinitely or can be safely discontinued once weight goals are met

Participants describe ongoing personal use driven by persistent food noise, metabolic issues, and prior regain, alongside secondary benefits such as reduced inflammation and improved energy. Regain after discontinuation is framed as a return to set-point physiology and chronic metabolic dysfunction rather than behavioral failure. Exercise and tracking habits vary widely, with some relying entirely on appetite suppression. Stockpiling is justified by access concerns while others explore dose reduction, cycling, or future cheaper alternatives.

What this discussion establishesWhere people disagree

whether the medications represent a permanent medical necessity or a temporary tool that can eventually be withdrawn

Still open

long-term human safety data and whether any users can permanently stop without regain

Nothing here is advice.

108 replies · 65 people · page 1 of 3
RustAlder52archiveopening postSep 1

Lots of folks mention staying on this med for life. Wondering if those are the ones also watching their diet and working out. No judgment, just wondering.

BlueAlder28archiveSep 1

I watch what I eat with an app and work out six times a week switching between rowing and cycling plus some weights. Down sixty pounds in nine months mostly on one med but added two others at low dose after forty five pounds lost and still going slow. Hope to drop another ten and sit five below goal for buffer. Expect to stay on something long term since stopping rarely works out well. Might lower the dose or space shots farther apart for upkeep.

GreyHarbour55archiveSep 1

Planning to continue as long as I can afford it. Not tracking calories but portions are small with one light dinner plus eggs or shakes. Walk around the neighborhood regularly unless my old injury acts up.

LevelThistle44archiveSep 1

Forever on the med but no special diet or exercise for weight control.

SlowMeadow40archiveSep 1

Staying on it for good. Could never shift the weight after kids and hormone changes even when doing everything right. Food noise is gone now and hunger every couple hours stopped which is huge. Still lift five days a week and focus on protein and fiber but skip calorie counts. Held steady for two months.

BlueSignal49archiveSep 1

Yes to both staying on it and tracking plus moving. Full body sessions two or three times weekly and at least ten thousand steps daily. Mostly home cooked whole foods with weekends a bit freer.

AmberCinder18archiveSep 1

Diet and exercise did nothing for decades. Only the meds changed anything because this is a chronic condition. Staying on for life. Move to stay mobile at my age but not counting on it or calorie tracking to drive loss anymore.

SlowAnchor19archiveSep 1
↳ replying to @RustAlder52 (opening post)

Yes and yes. No steady workouts yet but winter is coming so I need to start or it will get bad. Log everything in an app and will track steps and start lifting soon though I keep putting it off.

PlainAlder11archiveSep 1

Forever on it, eat whatever and should probably move more.

BlueSignal97archiveSep 1

Yes planning to stay on several things for life and have years stocked. No diet or exercise after decades of trying that led to over three hundred pounds. Just eat what feels right with the med helping and lost eighty pounds sitting around. At nearly seventy with back issues I want to enjoy the time left.

QuietThistle70archiveSep 1

Intend to stay on these meds long term and already have years put away. At maintenance for over a year. Been active for decades with lots of cardio and would have been much worse off without it. Was fine until mid forties then things changed.

GreyAlder96archiveSep 2

On a glp for good and I lift plus roughly track calories. Left school heavy then kept most off with low carb and activity but always yo yoed and binged. Now at thirty eight the meds cut the binges way down and I am in the best shape ever. Can bulk and cut properly without constant restriction. Will keep moving because I like it and it keeps me ahead as I age.

KeenThistle61archiveSep 2

Probably should stay on forever but it makes me feel off in the gut and head so unsure. Need to hit goal once before deciding. No drive to watch food beyond fiber or to exercise while on it. Used to move when trying to lose without the med.

CopperSignal27archiveSep 2

Lost and regained many times over the years. Got down with very controlled eating and started walking once too unfit for much else. Stayed there a year before the meds. Early versions helped little and felt rough. Current combo stopped constant hunger and got me to goal where I have held for months even with slightly looser eating plus a bit more added. Planning to switch things around soon.

IronLantern24archiveSep 2

Plan to stay on peptides forever so I do not have to diet forever. Will keep strength training too to avoid becoming frail later.

BlueFenwick71archiveSep 2

Once at goal I want to keep moving and eating better and probably lower the dose to a tiny amount so yes to staying on a glp.

LevelFenwick52archiveSep 2

Planning to take this one for life. On six milligrams for about six months. Might try dropping to four later. Was already lifting six days a week counting calories and hitting steps before starting so the med just helped finish the look I wanted.

RustLantern55archiveSep 2

Think I am one of the few not planning indefinite use though open to it. Weight came from meds injury and mental health stuff not lifelong patterns. Always stayed in shape before and ate balanced. At goal now but still want to drop some extra. Expect I can go back to mindful eating without extras once off. Might gain ten pounds rebound and that is fine since it is just vanity at this point.

AmberMarble84archiveSep 2

Forever. Still insulin resistant after the loss so no real choice. Would regain fast without it. Recent tests confirmed.

CopperSignal27archiveSep 2
↳ replying to @RustLantern55

Really like this take. Sensible way to think about stopping or not from someone likely able to manage without forever since the causes were not permanent and not driven by emotion about the meds themselves. Good that restarting is an option if needed.

GreyWillow80archiveSep 2

Yes staying on forever. Realized something was off with me and have an endocrine issue. Do not count calories but eat light in the morning and one meal a day which works. Walk everywhere and do a little yoga twice a week. Lost enough to make moving enjoyable and now want to try new things though arthritis diagnosis came recently. Smallest as an adult so more options open up.

BlueAnchor59archiveSep 2

On one med and planning to stay while it keeps helping. Not looking to come off. Cannot speak for others on the calories or exercise side since that is personal.

ClearQuill84archiveSep 2

As long as possible or forever. Also eating and training to match.

PlainAlder11archiveSep 2
↳ replying to @KeenThistle61

What dose and how long have you been on? On one myself. Had mild side effects and low drive for a bit but that faded once at six and then ten milligrams. Now trying maintenance levels of four six and eight after hitting goal a month ago. Feel great with the weight gone and no lack of motivation anymore.

NorthPebble82archiveSep 2

Weight went up and down in my thirties after always staying steady before. Now older I have to watch intake mentally. If these meds help keep that going then no reason not to use them long term.

GreyHarbour88archiveSep 2

Have not chosen which one for upkeep but will always be on something. Cannot go back to forcing it every day. Will never track calories again either. Done with that. Have protein drinks mornings and one clean home cooked meal plus eggs if I want. Move but not in a numbers driven way. Feels so much better now than last year and pushing myself feels good as the only reason.

QuietCinder50archiveSep 2

Lost over sixty five kilos in mid thirties and in best shape ever. Found I enjoy exercise and steady eating now. Same meals and tracking feels almost calming maybe due to being a creature of habit. Only added peptides and other things late this year but do not expect to need peptides forever though the other compounds are a lifetime choice.

SlowLantern46archiveSep 2

Track ninety to ninety five percent of calories every day. Lift three plus days a week and cycle one hundred twenty to one hundred forty miles weekly less in winter. Have done weights and cardio forever so they are just routine. If you skip tracking and moving you will probably need higher and higher doses. On reta since April and at two point two milligrams now. Down forty pounds near goal. Not sure about forever depends on what studies show but so far long term looks positive even for maintenance.

SteadyPebble24archiveSep 3

No calorie tracking but lost sixty five pounds and started trainer sessions last December so now in great shape. Hiking is therapy and hit thirty eight thousand steps with three thousand feet gain yesterday plus a loaded pack. Not hard anymore. Walking hills with my new body feels good. Med is for life and moving is fun now.

SteadySparrow75archiveSep 3

Do not think much about it just plan to keep shots going. Will still enjoy food and if weight creeps up then more of the med. Might even do shorter cycles why not. Cannot picture weight spiraling down but if it does just eat more and stay happy.

GreyLedger33archiveSep 3

Do not know yet still early on one med just four weeks in. Work out but not steady due to back pain and laziness. Try lifting cycling walking hiking and swim in winter. Track calories in an app. Not very heavy but want to lose the upper body flab because of how fat sits on my frame.

NorthBramble68archiveSep 3

Yes forever no tracking just moving.

BlueAlder28archiveSep 3
↳ replying to @SlowLantern46

Good point I missed earlier. When facts change I change my mind. One reason I joke about people stocking ten years of one med. What if something better comes or delivery improves. Or what if big issues show up later like with old diet pills.

SteadyPebble24archiveSep 3
↳ replying to @BlueAlder28

Oh I know there will be better options cheaper ones and so on. Years stashed gives me peace of mind I will not return to being sick and heavy. Three years using it. In great shape. Smaller clothes. Saved money on groceries too.

WarmAlder42archiveSep 3

Truthfully I've always handled decent meals in reasonable amounts and stayed active. The one thing I never realized was holding me back was that constant food noise that had been there my whole life. This med has quieted it down enough that I can keep up with the rest of my habits. Right now I've got a decent supply and figure I'll stay on it long term. If something else comes along later that's cheaper and does the same job I'll check it out though.

BrightCompass57archiveSep 3
↳ replying to @KeenThistle61

I get the complete reverse reaction. Once I'm on reta I actually enjoy training hard and sticking to clean eating.

QuietAlder65archiveSep 3
↳ replying to @RustAlder52 (opening post)

Started at 65 when coverage was still there and stayed on for a year. The doctor said most people put it back on plus extra. I dropped fifty pounds and felt good about where I landed. Went in knowing I didn't want to stay on it forever so I stayed low and only went up if the scale wasn't moving. Used a glucose monitor for a few months and cut out the things that surprised me by spiking my levels. Kept three solid meals and hit the gym three times a week. My wife wondered how the weight came off when I was still eating normally. After stopping I put six pounds back on mainly from missing gym time due to an injury. A lot of the regain seems to come from people eating way too little while on it and then going back to normal portions later.

GreenSignal88archiveSep 3

Planning to stay on it for life and still watch what I eat and move. I don't want the med to do everything. Almost at goal and down to six milligrams so no real sides. Grew up chubby in the eighties and now see I was missing the natural glp-1 response that the skinny kids had. These meds are a game changer for me and I don't plan to quit.

AmberMeadow80archiveSep 3

For the time being I expect to keep going. The anti-inflammatory and possible anti-cancer effects plus the way it offsets the insulin hit from growth hormone are keeping me on it while I'm using that. Started tracking calories and dropped twenty pounds that way then switched to eating by feel and lost another ten. Might lower the dose now that I'm at a comfortable weight.

NorthThistle23archiveSep 3

Still doing bjj running and lifting. Never carried much extra but wasn't at my best either. At nearly fifty-five everything is working better than before. Doing this for longevity and keeping the things that improve how I feel and perform. Might take breaks or switch compounds at times. Main goal is feeling good enough to keep training.

CopperSignal27archiveSep 4
↳ replying to @BlueAlder28

Makes sense to me. Newer versions will show up but in my country the chance of affordable options in the next decade looks slim. Five years out is a bit easier to guess and even the first version won't be generic here until 2032. Without subsidies most people won't be able to afford them. After losing that much weight and still carrying heart risk stopping would be a big gamble.

PlainAlder11archiveSep 4
↳ replying to @BlueAlder28

I get where you're coming from. Better stuff will probably arrive but cost and access are separate issues. One worry is the big companies pushing regulators to crack down on the research versions. Stocked up anyway and don't regret it. Just my way of feeling prepared.

RustHarbour17archiveSep 4

Forever yes. My body has obesity as a condition. If food and movement fixed it I wouldn't be dealing with any of this. Still obese on the scale. In my fifties and noticing other upsides like less joint pain and blood pressure finally at normal on my meds. Hoping to drop some of those prescriptions. Losing slowly but staying with it. The appetite control isn't the only reason I'm staying on.

GreyLedger65archiveSep 4
↳ replying to @RustAlder52 (opening post)

Seven months into maintenance and no plan to quit. Tracked calories while dropping weight and most of my life before that. Now I hold steady without tracking. Still exercise like I did before and during the loss phase. It doesn't drive the scale much but matters for everything else.

CopperAlder25archiveSep 4

At a maintenance level now and just lowered the dose a bit. Not eating enough at the moment and still want to drop another fifteen after already losing ten. No rush as long as the trend stays down. Back to tracking intake to check protein and overall amounts. Not really dieting just aiming for better choices now that the noise is gone. Sweet stuff is way down. Hunger is manageable. Lifting three times a week and adding some cardio. Feeling much better with my thyroid issue and the weakness is gone. Want to stay on mainly for the steady energy.

LevelAlder29archiveSep 4

Forever for sure. The lack of constant food thoughts is huge. Spent my whole life dieting so I can guess calories pretty well without logging everything. Aim for mostly solid days with a couple okay ones and one treat. Back injury limits most exercise so I focus on steps and basic physical therapy moves plus light resistance. Might try water aerobics for something easier on the joints. Taking it easy given my limits.

Related discussions

Add your experience

If you have tried it, this topic is still open. Sign in to reply — it takes a minute.